Wife of Kogi State Governor, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, has acknowledged the strength, resilience, and determination demonstrated by women in the quest to change negative gender narratives and stereotypes in the society.

The First Lady stated this in a message to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day in Lokoja the state capital with the theme, “Accelerate Action ”

“As we celebrate International Women’s Day today, I join women and girls across Kogi State and the world to commemorate our collective progress, resilience, and determination.

This year’s theme deeply reminds me of the need to continue to strive for a world where women and girls have equal opportunities, rights, and freedoms.” she said.

Mrs Ododo reaffirmed her dedication towards advancing the cause of women and girls in Kogi State through initiatives that promote education, economic inclusion, and social justice while strengthening advocacy against gender-based violence.

She called for more support across all spheres of life for women to succeed in their chosen endeavours devoid of suppression, intimidation, and violence.

“Let us continue to lift each other up, to support each other’s dreams, and to demand a world that values and respects the contributions of women and girls to the development of our dear state and country.”

The Kogi First Lady pointed out that the theme of the 2025 IWD celebration is a call to work towards creating a more equitable and just society for women and girls to thrive, stressing such enablers of the rights and privileges of women must now be seen and felt beyond words from government at all levels and other stakeholders.

Mrs Ododo saluted Kogi women, who she noted were making a difference in the state while inspiring younger generations.

“I celebrate the unsung heroes, the women who wake up every day to make a difference in their communities, the entrepreneurs, the caregivers, and the leaders.”

The National Council of Women Societies, NCWS has commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her Renewed Hope initiative, which has been supporting women empowerment programs across the country.

The NCWS President, Princess Edna D.D Azura, praised the First Lady’s initiative during the event marking International Women’s Day in on Friday in Abuja.

The event, which was attended by women leaders and entrepreneurs from across Nigeria, featured discussions on women empowerment, entrepreneurship, and gender equality.

In her welcome address, Princess Azura said, “I am honored to welcome you all to join the Council to commemorate International Women’s Day 2025, a day set aside to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.”

She noted that this year’s global theme, “Accelerate Action,” is a call to action for all stakeholders to intensify efforts towards achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.

“We must remind ourselves of the significant progress made towards gender equality in Nigeria,” Azura said. “However, despite the legal frameworks, National policies, and international obligations that Nigeria has subscribed to, the gap between policy commitments and actual implementation remains significant.”

She identified some of the challenges that still hinder women’s empowerment and participation in all spheres of life, including limited access to education and economic opportunities, disproportionate burden of caregiving responsibilities, increased vulnerability to gender-based violence, and under-representation in leadership positions.

To address these challenges, Azura emphasized the need for collective effort from all stakeholders, including government, civil society, private sector, and individuals. “We must accelerate action towards achieving gender equality,” she said.

She also commended the First Lady’s Renewed Hope initiative, which has been providing support to women in various areas, including education, healthcare, and economic empowerment. “This initiative has been a beacon of hope for many women, providing them with the support and resources they need to succeed,” Azura said.

The NCWS President also announced that the council will be launching its own financial support initiative for women entrepreneurs, aimed at providing them with the resources they need to grow their businesses.

In addition, she expressed gratitude to the Hon Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, for her commitment to empowering women and promoting their socio-economic development.

The event featured a symposium with the sub-theme, “The Future is Now: Empowering Women and Youths to Thrive.” The NCWS President emphasized the importance of empowering women and youths to take control of their futures, and investing in their education, skills development, and economic empowerment.

The event ended with a call to action, urging all stakeholders to work towards the implementation of the three key objectives of the World Bank Group Strategy for 2024-2030, which aims to accelerate gender equality for a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future.

Also speaking, National Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists,Northcentral, Chizoba Ogbeche, emphasized the importance of accelerating action for women’s empowerment in Nigeria. The theme “Accelerating Action” is a call to do better, particularly in terms of women’s political and economic empowerment.

Ogbeche highlights the “Her Seat in Parliament and Governance” program, which aims to sensitize women and the public on the importance of accepting the 74 seats allocated for women in parliament. The program seeks to make people understand that women are not trying to take over from men, but rather want a place at the table to influence policies that affect them and other vulnerable groups.

Nigeria still faces significant challenges in achieving gender equality.

Ogbeche notes that Nigerian women will be joining other women from around the world for the CSW meeting in New York, where they will share their story and emphasize that while progress has been made, more needs to be done.

The recent 1,000% increment in the women’s budget is a significant step forward, but there is still much work to be done to address the issues affecting women in Nigeria.

Concerned members of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN) are calling on the Association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to comply with a court order and conduct a legitimate election to install new leaders. This directive follows a court judgment in the case of Alhaji Abdulaziz Edochie and 12 Ors vs the Incorporated Trustees of Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN) and 13 Ors, delivered by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Bwari.

During a press briefing organized by the concerned members in Abuja, High Chief Vitus Ofodum, the former Chairman of LECAN in Abuja, and the CEO, Vitek Engineering Company Limited, Abuja read out a communique outlining the court’s judgment. The communique emphasized the need for the BoT to obey the court order and conduct an election in accordance with the judgment.

The call for a legitimate election is aimed at ensuring that LECAN has legitimate leaders, and the concerned members are urging the BoT to take immediate action to comply with the court order.

High Chief Vitus Ofodum, a member and former Chairman of LECAN’s Abuja branch, addressed the media alongside fellow members from various branches and chapters across Nigeria. He explained that LECAN is a licensed association regulating electrical installations and cables, governed by a well-defined constitution.

According to Ofodum, the association was due for a national executive election in 2022, but a group attempted to hijack the process, violating the constitution. The members sought legal advice and took action to prevent the association’s collapse.

High Chief Vitus Ofodum explained that after writing to the Association’s purported executives to address concerns, they were met with silence, prompting them to seek legal action. They sought to nullify the “vote of no confidence” passed on the national executives, which they believed subverted the association.

Fortunately, the high court delivered its judgment on February 24, 2025, declaring the notice of the meeting where the “vote of no confidence” was passed as unconstitutional, null, and void. The court also declared the national executives occupying offices as null and void, restraining them from parading themselves as executives of the association.

Additionally, the court ordered that the national executives are immediately restrained from accessing the association’s bank account. The association was directed to conduct national elections in line with the election procedure outlined in the association’s constitution, ensuring proper agenda, quota representation of delegates, and notices are followed.

In conclusion, Ofodum urged all affected persons to note that the court’s order must be obeyed to the letter, warning that failure to comply may result in further action, including contempt proceedings.